The Letter
by KatyRose4
Summary: Jack can talk a big game but he's horrible at the whole 'boyfriend' thing, and Sarah's out of second chances to give.
1. The Letter

_**April 17, 1900**_

Hello Jack,

I've wanted to talk to you about this in person, but this is a very difficult conversation and I don't see you that much. You spend a lot of time selling papers and I'm always in the factory. Despite our busy schedules we just don't have time to communicate. I do what I can, Jack. I surprise you at the lodging house, I write letters for David to give you, and even if I can't put it into words as beautifully as you can, I don't hesitate to tell you how much I love you. I feel as if I'm putting more effort into this relationship than you and it's really taking a toll on me. Every few months we have this conversation, and then you change for a little bit, but things go back to the way they were before. And I can't change you- you can't make people change. So I have to learn to accept that that is simply the way you work. But I can't. I tried, but I can't.

David told me that you treat everyone this way, the ignoring thing. You're only close to the newsies and my brothers because you work with them everyday. But I'm your girlfriend, so I shouldn't be waiting around for a week to hear from you. I miss you all the time but you're just a few blocks away. And at first I thought I was needy and clingy but I realized that I'm not. I only feel this way because I love you and you don't feel the same way. And that's okay. It hurts, but it's okay. We can be friends. If you don't feel the same way about me then we can't be in a relationship.

We want different things. And when you love each other it's okay because you compromise and work it out. But if you don't love me (you say you do, and I think you think you do, but you really don't) then we can't do that. You stayed in New York for me and your newsie friends, but I know you still want to get out of the city. I know you, Jack. You're not going to be satisfied here- you're always dreaming and exploring and growing. It's one of the reasons I love you. But that's not who I am. I'll go off to Santa Fe for you. I'll go anywhere for you. But I'll be a fish out of water. So we can compromise. I want to compromise. But I don't want to get hurt and I really don't want to hurt you. I care about you too much.

If it hasn't already been clear enough, I'm breaking up with you. It's not because I love you- far from it. I'm so madly and deeply in love with you it hurts and it brings me to tears. But we can't communicate, and it drains me, and I find myself sad about this all the time. It's not healthy. As painful as this may be, I know it will be better in the long run. For the both of us. You can find someone you want to spend all your time with. (Or someone who doesn't mind the lack of communication.) You said you loved me because I'm pretty and witty but you can find someone better. You don't love me. I'm not going to sit around and wait for you anymore.

All my love,

Sarah Jacobs

* * *

"Sarah's breaking up with me." He was nearly breathless, stunned into submission. He could barely believed it. Sarah was right. They had talked about it before, once or twice, but he hadn't expected it like this. "Didn't even have the guts to tell this to my face."

He wanted to be angry at her and it was easy to call her a coward. But he knew she was right. Meeting her was a real challenge, and although she could've gone over to the lodging house, she was breaking up with him because of a lack of effort and communication. If she had worked so hard and did her best to communicate with him while they were in a relationship, it didn't seem fair that she give him the same benefits in their breakup. He deserved every ounce of this, and he knew it. But he didn't want to admit it.

"What? Oh my gosh Jack…I'm so sorry; I thought it was just a normal love letter from her. I had no idea…" David cringed at the idea of being the messenger of doom. And Jack, who was prone to be angry with the wrong person, could unleash his wrath on him.

"It ain't your fault Davey." He was being surprisingly civil.

"No one saw this coming."

"I should've. I knew she was feeling this way. I shouda done something about it while I had the chance."

"So you two are done? Just like that?"

Jack paused for a moment. "No. No we're not." He could almost hear her speaking to him. _Fight for me, Jack. If you want me, you have to fight for it._ "I'm not going to let that happen." He ripped a piece of paper from the newspaper- the blankest one he could find. "You got a pen?" David shook his head. Disappointed, Jack headed off at twice his walking pace, his steps quickening with purpose. David had to run to catch up.

"Where are we going?"

"Stay here and watch Les. I'm going back to the lodging house real quick. I need to write something."


	2. Jack's Response

**That same day**

Dear Sarah,

I don't really know what to say. And I know you're mad at me. But hear me out. I've been an idiot. Having you in my life made me the luckiest guy in the world and I took you for granted. I know I've said this a thousand times, but only because I really mean it. You know I'm crazy about you. You're don't put up with me when I'm being an ass. You challenge me to actually think about stuff rather than go through the motions. You're the most beautiful, kind-hearted girl in New York. Everyone else pales in comparison to you because you're too amazing.

But I didn't treat you right. You put up with a lot, I know, and it wasn't fair. You gave me a second chance... and a third chance. All I ask is one more shot. Because I don't just love you. I'm in love with you- there's a big difference. And that's why I'm going to change. I'm going to write more, and visit you more, at least twice a week, and I'll do everything I can to prove to you how much I care about you, no matter how busy I get. I want to spend time with you.

So you're not getting off so easy. Cause I'm fighting for you. Things will be different, I promise.

Love,

Jack

* * *

"Finished!" Jack was very proud of his handiwork. Kloppman looked over his shoulder at what he wrote. Almost an hour before Jack had barged through the lodging house, barely even asking Kloppman for the pen and paper. Kloppman could tell that whatever he was writing must've been really important. The note was short even though he had spent so much time on it. He furiously wrote and re-wrote words, crossing stuff out and grumbling to himself, before the small hint of a smile that suggested he was happy with something. You would've thought he was making the cure for polio. He was really intense. And all he came up with was a small snippet of paper?

"What is that?"

"A letter to Sarah." He smoothed it out the wrinkles on the page. "She broke up with me and I need to convince her otherwise."

"Well that explains it."

Jack looked down at the scribbles he wrote. "I should write this out somewhere neater."

"Why'd she break up with you in the first place?" Nobody, especially David, had expected them to last as long as they did. Jack didn't have the best track record and new girlfriends seemed to be coming in and out of the lodging house all the time. His relationships, with a few exceptions, didn't last longer than a month or two, and they tended to end for the smallest of reasons. But this was different. Kloppman had never seen Jack so passionate or worried about a girl like this.

"She said that she put more effort into our relationship than me. That I wasn't trying hard enough or something like that." He knew what she was saying, but his brain was basically mush. He didn't have the brain power to explain what was going on.

"Jack, m'boy, I don't think this is going to cut it."

"What do you mean? She wants me to talk to her. I'm talking to her."

"She broke up with you because you weren't doing enough. You think one lousy letter is going to cut it?"

"Well...yeah." He couldn't come up with anything else. Mostly because he didn't spend much (well, any) time coming up with a plan.

"That's how you save a relationship. And right now, you don't have one at all. You need to step it up." As much as Jack hated to admit it, he was right.

And suddenly Jack had idea. It was either the worst or the best idea in his life. (Yes, possibly even better than the strike. Which was technically David's idea, but whatever.) "Kloppman."

"Yeah?"

"Where can I buy a ring?"

* * *

Jack had barely been in the store for two seconds before he realized that he couldn't afford anything in there. His train of thought went a little something like this:

 _How am I getting the ring? It's too expensive to buy. Unless I sell my soul. Which is impossible. I could dig up Ma's grave and look for it there. Nah, that's Ma's grave! That's disrespectful. And also ridiculous, that's impossible. I could visit dad in jail and and ask for his. Ha. No way. I might as well just steal it from someone's finger. Like that'd ever happen. I mean, could I? I sell papers everyday. They hand me the money, I just carefully try to grab one...Nah, wouldn't work. And I'm not stealing unless it's food. I have standards. Low standards. But still standards. Who else would have a ring? Maybe Race, he's always betting and gambling and stuff. And showing off what he makes (and complaining about what he loses) on poker night. Bet I could get one from him._

Around this time, people were finished selling the morning paper and the newsies were off to get lunch. Jack met David and Racetrack at the square.

"Hey Race?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you have a ring?"

"What?"

"A ring! I need a ring. You don't what that is?" He hadn't taken a single pause while talking.

"Course I know what a ring is. I ain't stupid."

"And you have one?"

"Yeah."

"This is really important. Race, you gotta help me. I need a ring."

"And why do you think I'll give it to you?" He mostly said that to mess with Jack. But in all seriousness, he wasn't just going to give up his stuff without something good in return.

"I'll pay you for it."

"You don't have the money." Probably true.

"I can play you for it." And at that, Racetrack just burst out laughing. Jack? Beat him? No way. "What, you too scared I'm going to win?"

"No." He continued laughing. When it finally died down he paused to think about it, wondering why Jack would ever need something like that.

And apparently David had the same thought. "What are you planning to do with it?" Because either a) Jack was going to sell it to trade it for something expensive. And David didn't want to know what he would buy that kind of money. Or b)...Well, David didn't want to think about plan b.

"Propose to Sarah with it." Plan b. Oh great.

 **Author's Note: Thank you coveredinbees14 for the review :)**


End file.
